Archive for March, 2009

Anti-Allergen Diet

Food allergies are not that common, but they are usually serious. Those who have them need to do everything in their power to avoid the foods to which they are allergic. If they fail to do so, they risk a dangerous allergic reaction. But other than avoiding the specific foods that are known to cause a reaction, those affected usually eat a normal diet.

There are also special anti-allergen diets which have been receiving a great deal of attention lately. They may be recommended for those with food allergies in the traditional sense, because some doctors believe that those affected may also have less intense reactions to other foods. Studies have also suggested that anti-allergen diets are useful in a variety of situations.

Some doctors of alternative medicine believe that so-called "hidden" food allergies are responsible for many of the symptoms we experience that are not properly diagnosed or treated. They cite symptoms such as headaches, nasal allergy symptoms and stomach problems as some of the ones that patients often see their doctors for, but continue to experience even after treatment. By trying an anti-allergen diet, these patients sometimes see a reduction or elimination of their problems.

Doctors often recommend a low-allergen diet to aid in diagnosing food allergies. By avoiding foods that are known to trigger allergies, one can determine whether or not a food allergy is the problem. If the diet helps, various foods are reintroduced for periods of time until the culprit is found.

Anti-allergen diets have also been used for breastfeeding mothers to alleviate the symptoms of colic in babies. Studies on the subject have found a significant reduction in fussiness in babies whose mothers adhered to the diet. While it does not cure colic, it may provide relief.

Low-Allergen Foods

An anti-allergen diet is very restrictive. It requires the avoidance of wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and fish. Acceptable foods include:

* Herbal tea
* Freshly squeezed fruit juice diluted with water
* Oatmeal and oat bran
* Puffed rice
* Bean flour
* Buckwheat flour and noodles
* Rice flour, crackers and cakes
* Black, kidney and navy beans
* Peas
* Sesame, sunflower and olive oil
* Lamb
* Poultry
* Most vegetables except for tomatoes

Some doctors include certain types of fish and nuts that are unlikely to cause reactions in their recommended anti-allergen diets. These include tuna, salmon and other canned fish, almonds and cashews. Some also include soy and soy products such as tofu. If such a diet fails to produce results, however, eliminating these things may be in order.

Anti-allergen diets are much different than what the average person is accustomed to. But for those who have found no relief from traditional medical treatment, they could be worth a try. In most cases, the diet is only temporarily followed until the offending foods are identified. Then the patient can go back to his regular diet, eliminating only these foods.

Tags: anti allergen diet, allergy, food allergies

Effective Steps for Managing Anxiety

Have you ever been in a situation that brought on sweats, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath? You probably weren’t having a heart attack but an anxiety attack. If you suffer from anxiety disorders, learning to manage it is the first step to overcoming it.

Anxiety is characterized as extreme reactions to fearful situations. When someone follows you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms gives way to heightened senses and a rush of adrenalin that can save your life. This is the fight or flight syndrome.

In the case of frequent anxiety, the fearful feelings are dread of a particular situation and not the situation itself. Getting caught in traffic can cause an anxiety attack over what might happen when you get to work late. Starting a new job can bring on anxiety attacks. You don’t know anyone and fear of that unknown can send you into a panic.

Everyone experiences panic or anxiety in small ways. Like the fight or flight example, it can save your life. In new situations, we get panicky but when the outcome we fear fails to materialize, the anxiety stops. For someone with chronic anxiety, this is not the case.

Every situation that brings anxiety is not life-threatening. More than likely it is an extremely stressful situation that has brought on the anxiety as a way of dealing with it. Unchecked anxiety of this type can lead to depression.

If you suffer from anxiety attacks on occasion or a more frequent anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to keep your anxiety under control.

1. See a professional. This is always a good first step. Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous. A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe medication or other effective techniques.

2. Get a good night’s sleep. During the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself. You feel more rested after several hours of restorative sleep, reaching the REM stage. Most people need eight hours a night which varies within an hour or two each way.

3. Exercise on a consistent basis. Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently. It helps to get more oxygen to the brain. It also increases focus which may help you see solutions to problems rather than simply worrying about them.

4. Meditate. Meditation is more than chanting mantras. Yoga is an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing. Simple mediation such as taking 5 minutes to clear your mind everyday can work wonders in the fight against anxiety.

5. Manage the worry. When you feel your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten. As you count, focus on the situation. What has actually happened? Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.

6. Don’t use alcohol. You might think that the glass of wine is relaxing your tension but alcohol is a depressant. In anxious situations you could rely too heavily on it and gain another problem in the process.

7. Find some relaxing activities. Stress can rob you of your energy. On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

Anxiety can come into your life at any time. It’s normal. When the anxiety becomes frequent you could be at risk for more serious conditions. If you feel your anxiety is starting to take over your life or increasingly causing you problems, seek professional help immediately. There is no need to suffer this terrible condition in silence. 

Tags: managing anxiety, anxiety